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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30009834">Red</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telescopedean/pseuds/Telescopedean'>Telescopedean</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Album: Red (Taylor Swift), Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Cadet James T. Kirk, Cadet Leonard McCoy, Established James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Idk what people do on picnics, James T Kirk - Freeform, James T. Kirk &amp; Leonard "Bones" McCoy Friendship, James t Kirk is bisexual, James t Kirk is trans because I said so, Leonard "Bones" McCoy is a Good Friend, Leonard McCoy takes Jim on a picnic, M/M, POV Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Song: Lover (Taylor Swift), Song: Red (Taylor Swift), academy era mckirk, i wrote this for one of my friends but you can read it too I guess, idk what canon is, is this too many tags?, jim kirk - Freeform, mckirk - Freeform, taylor swift brainrot is what this is, taylor swift writes mckirk fanfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:01:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,784</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30009834</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telescopedean/pseuds/Telescopedean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Can we always be this close?” Jim asks, breaking the aftermath of the laughter. “Thumb War?” </p><p>Leonard nods, reaching his hand out for Jim to hold onto. </p><p>“I’ve loved you three summers now, I want them all.” Leonard whispers in response to the first question.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy, McKirk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Red</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Imma be honest I did not check this at all, I’m not used to fics without angst so I tried my best! I hope this was what you had imagined! And I hope you like it. It’s based off both the song Lover and Red, I also pictured this in autumn because autumn is my fav season. Stream Red by Taylor swift. Feedback is appreciated</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim ignores the way Leonard says, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I was thinking of a picnic, it might be boring though.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> As he leads Leonard out the doors of their academy apartment. Leonard is carrying a picnic basket full of snacks, water and some cards for a card game.  A blanket held close under his arm. Jim’s hand is intertwined with Leonards, as he leads them around the corner towards Leonards beaten up truck. Leonards flannel shirt goes a little past Jim’s finger tips, his blue-jean smile on his face widens as they approach the truck. He can tell Jim is excited and it makes him nervous, because this is their first official date.</span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
They pause for a moment and Leonard tosses Jim the keys, he knows how much he wanted to drive that stupid old pickup truck. He sees the cocky smirk on his face, he rolls his eyes at that, doesn’t say anything. </span>
  <span>So he climbs into the passenger seat and Jim drives down the road, a little past the city limits where everything is calm and still. But it feels like they are driving down a dead end street in a new maserati. It's the midas touch Jim has, to make everything feel brand new and </span>
  <em>
    <span>shiny</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim puts the mixtape into the radio, the one he made for Leonard. It instantly splatters a smile on Leonards face, smiling at the sight of Jim singing along to his favorite songs.  His head nodding along, his fingers tapping the steering wheel like a drum. How he knows each word, each melody, like some sort of</span>
  <em>
    <span> effortless</span>
  </em>
  <span> memorization.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It's autumn and the grass is yellow, the leaves fall around them as they halt at the end of the road. Picket fences line the path and there are fields of yellow grass around them. There's a few trees with orange and yellow leaves, the wind is warm as they hop out of the truck. They can see a sunflower garden next to a barn far out in front of them, the sky is blue; there's only a smudge of white clouds like pastel or oil paintings. It smells like fall, like dried grass and like a barnyard, but Leonard is unphased. Jim takes Leonards hand and guides him towards the trees lined just beside the path they came on. A perfect view of the barn, the field of yellow grass, the sky. The leaves fall around them, it's like flying through a free fall, the colors of autumn so bright around them. Jim reaches to pick some leaves out of Leonards hair, laughing as they set up under the trees. Suddenly Leonard is hyper aware that Jim is wearing one of his shirts, that he is holding his hand, that they are here sitting on a blanket underneath a tree, on their first date. He is nervous because he hasn’t done this before in a long time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Crazy eights?” Jims asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard nods crossing his legs in front of him, leaning against the bark of the tree behind him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure this is okay? I was gonna plan something better, something special...I don’t know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim nods as he opens the basket and reaches for the cards, as well as laying out the snacks around them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, this is perfect, sweetheart.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard knows he is being honest, yet there is still that initial insecurity. Jim is laying out cards onto the red plaid blanket, he shakes his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's just, I haven’t done this in a while. I don’t remember the rules, or the requirements.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim lets out a chuckle, he leans forward to kiss him on the cheek softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey relax, this is perfect. I promise.” Jim whispers. “There's no rules or requirements, being with me is enough for me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a couple rounds of cards they find themselves drifting between conversations, leaving the cards. Leonard looks at Jim, watches how he looks around them in awe. In awe of the colorful leaves he’s probably seen a million times. How there's a dazzling haze almost, a mysterious way about him. He laughs at the sight of him in one of his flannel shirts, looking as if this is his first time seeing autumn leaves. He wonders if he’s known Jim 20 seconds or 20 years, because it seems like yesterday when he fell in love with the cocky, egotistical boy he shared an apartment with.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim turns to Leonard and offers him the chip bag.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This good, wasn’t sure if I should make sandwiches or something else?” Leonard asks, opening it for them to share. “Are you sure you’re not bored?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim shakes his head again, crossing his legs in front of him to mirror Leonard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is perfect, I promise.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just don’t want to be too boring for you.” Leonard says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are never too boring for me, I’ll never get bored of spending time like this with you.” Jim reassures as he scoots closer to Leonard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment of snacking passes and Leonard places a thankful kiss on the corner of Jim’s mouth. Jim grins as they hear the wind blow against the tree above them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Graduation is close.” Leonard says, he’s thinking out loud.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim doesn’t seem to be interested in the topic, shrugs as he eats some more chips and other things.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yea, scares me if I’m being honest. You think we’ll get assigned to the same ship?” Jim asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard pauses for a moment, it makes him think as he sits there just looking towards the same sunflower garden. Watches how the wind lightly blows them, shakes them a little. Turns towards Jim, his heart falters a little bit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t have to think about that now.” Leonard simply decides, maybe he’s avoiding the answer, or the question. He doesn’t care, he doesn’t want to think about it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And if we do? If we do get different assignments?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard can only say what he honestly thinks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then we’ll stay in touch.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of them knows what that means, did it mean continue dating, did it mean stay in touch as in “Let's stay in touch but never talk again”? Jim breaks the silence when he sees the fear on Leonard's face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We are not thinking about that right now, let's just think about the present. Let's think about now. What are you thinking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard nods and he looks at his boyfriend who instantly makes him grin just by being there with him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m thinking about how beautiful you are, darling.” Leonard replies.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It makes them both burst into a fit of laughter because that is so incredibly cheesy and </span>
  <em>
    <span>“out of a rom com” </span>
  </em>
  <span>funny. But it makes the conversation flow, it makes them forget and move on, pushes that discussion to the side.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we always be this close?” Jim asks, breaking the aftermath of the laughter. “Thumb War?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard nods, reaching his hand out for Jim to hold onto. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve loved you three summers now, I want them all.” Leonard whispers in response to the first question. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They start, their thumbs wrestling nonchalantly, they're focused on the game, it's almost purposefully slow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Promise me something?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard let’s out a hum that Jim takes as a yes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anything.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Promise me I can go where you go, promise me you’ll never get bored of me, oh and promise we can keep our christmas light up ‘till january.” Jim whispers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard chuckles nonchalantly, as he pins Jim’s thumb down. How ridiculous he thinks he sounds, how he loves the idea of a future with Jim with twinkling lights.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Rematch.” Jim declares as Leonard goes for the win.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They start over twiddling their thumbs in a way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thats a lot of promises.” Leonard chuckles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That's only three.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard shrugs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll promise everything except the christmas lights.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim huffs, not  satisfied with the answer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If I win this round we keep them up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard doesn’t get to agree, because his thumb is pinned down and Jim is laughing with excitement.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ha, I win!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard lets out a dramatic sigh as they let go of each other's hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess you did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim scoots closer to Leonard this time, they sit against the tree bark and they share a bag of chips. Leonards arm is wrapped comfortably around Jims shoulders, as he is snuggled up close to his side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Christmas lights up till January, got it.” Leonard laughs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim just lets out a happy laugh that almost erupts in the wind, sounds like a windchime, beautiful to Leonard.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I never got to ask you...but why did it take you so long to admit your feelings for me?” Jim asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim grins remembering a specific memory. Remembering  Leonard at the end of a sidewalk under a street lamp, his back towards him. How silence erupted around them as Leonard screamed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> How the words intensified the darkness around them, the street lamp like a spot light. It's a fond memory that has always left an aftershock of “</span>
  <em>
    <span>finally”</span>
  </em>
  <span> in both of their hearts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was highly suspicious that everyone who saw you wanted you,” Leonard admitted, his thumb gently stroking Jim's shoulder. “Its dumb but I felt like I never had a chance. I wasn’t hankering for any lovin’ in the first place.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim reaches up to hold the hand that is draping over his shoulder, just holding Leonards hand like that. Like after all that time </span>
  <em>
    <span>touching</span>
  </em>
  <span> him is like realizing all he ever wanted, is right there in front of him. How memorizing him is as easy as knowing all the words to his old favourite song. He grins up at Leonard, like a little kid. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t we do this before?” He asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard rolls his eyes before placing a kiss on Jim's cheek, then a peck to his lip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You tell me, hot shot playboy.” Leonard teases. “Well we’re here now aren’t we?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jim hums nodding, leaning his head against his boyfriend's shoulder. They are </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span> after months of yearning, </span>
  <em>
    <span>unbelievable</span>
  </em>
  <span> angst. After screaming and </span>
  <em>
    <span>crying</span>
  </em>
  <span> and cursing each other's name, they are </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span>. In that field, it feels calming and they can hear the love in the silence, in everything around them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That's all that matters, we’re here and this is perfect. Thank you.” Jim whispers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For what?” Leonard asks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For taking me on one of the best dates I’ve ever been on.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with that, they go back to comfortable silence, reminiscing as the red leaves fall around them. How vibrant their love feels out there in the open, in a field full of autumn. How red is the color they’ll always share, like an autumn day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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